Parallel paths: 2 women leaders challenge family dynasties in Telugu states

Hyderabad: When Kalvakuntla Kavitha launched her first public attack against adversaries within the BRS in May, describing her father K. Chandrashekar Rao as "a god surrounded by demons," social media immediately drew parallels to YS Sharmila's rebellion against her brother, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. While Sharmila's efforts couldn't deliver significant gains for Congress in the 2024 Andhra polls, she potentially damaged Jagan's electoral prospects, reducing the once-invincible leader to just 11 Assembly seats.

Now, as Telangana's ruling Congress appears increasingly vulnerable due to unfulfilled poll promises, revival hopes are stirring within the Bharat Rashtra Samithi after more than eighteen months out of power. However, the opposition party confronts its own internal crisis, a deepening family feud that culminated Wednesday with Kavitha's dramatic exit from the BRS.

The parallels between these two prominent women leaders from Telugu states are striking. Sharmila's political journey saw her launch an unsuccessful party experiment in Telangana before folding operations and joining Congress, ultimately positioning herself in direct confrontation with her brother in Andhra Pradesh. Similarly, Kavitha, a crucial member of what many consider Telangana's first family has now severed ties with the BRS, leaving her political future uncertain.

Both women share a common narrative, attempting to cement their positions in their respective state's political landscape by charting independent courses after feeling abandoned by their families. Sharmila openly accused Jagan of ignoring and neglecting her contributions after she had worked tirelessly for the YSRCP during his imprisonment in quid pro quo cases filed by the CBI, helping the party achieve power in 2019.

Similarly, Kavitha has publicly accused her cousins former Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao and former Rajya Sabha member Joginapally Santosh Rao of conspiring against her and orchestrating her removal from the BRS undermining her contributions to the party.

Kavitha's political journey began around 2004-2005 when she returned from the United States to join the Telangana statehood movement and her father's newly formed TRS. However, after the party assumed power in 2014, the internal power structure crystallized around KTR and Harish Rao, who emerged as the de facto number two figures in both government and party hierarchy during their nearly decade-long tenure.

KTR has been widely regarded as the heir apparent to patriarch KCR, while Harish Rao a six-time MLA and KCR's nephew has maintained his position as a powerful party leader since the TRS's inception.

Considered a troubleshooter and trusted backroom operator for KCR, Harish Rao secured plum portfolios including irrigation and finance in both of KCR's cabinets. He oversaw the construction of the Rs 1.10 lakh crore Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, now embroiled in corruption allegations.

The 2023 assembly elections revealed an interesting dynamic within the ruling BRS. Despite their historically strained relationship, both KTR and Harish Rao buried their differences and worked in tandem for the party's electoral campaign. While KCR provided overall monitoring and supervision of party activities, the execution responsibility rested primarily with KTR and Harish Rao.

Both leaders have undergone a complete metamorphosis, literally assuming charge of the BRS and becoming the undisputed party leaders second only to KCR. They jointly commandeered the war room established at Pragathi Bhavan to monitor electioneering activities and took pole positions in directly overseeing the party's most extensive micro-level outreach programme.

In this evolving power structure, Kavitha struggled to establish her foothold within the party, ultimately choosing to chart her own course by walking away from the BRS. Her resignation represents a significant fracture within the influential political family that has dominated Telangana politics since statehood.

The crucial question remains as to what path will Kavitha choose next? She could launch her own political outfit and fight alongside the BRS against Congress and BJP, or join another party and position the BRS as her opponent.

Both Sharmila and Kavitha rebellions against their respective family establishments reflect broader questions about succession, recognition, and power-sharing within dynastic political structures and potentially offer lessons about women's roles in regional politics.